Storage-battery terminal clamp



June 24 1930. a. 's'PARKEs 1,767.903

STORAGE BATTERY ,I'ERMINAL CLAMP Fil edMarch 27. 1929 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR June 24, 1930. J. G. sPARKEs STORAGE B A'ITERY TERMINAL CLAN? Filed March. 27. 1929 ,2 Sheets-She'et INVENTOR Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES JOHN GORDON srnnxns, OF GREAT NECK, NEW Yon-K, 'AssieNoR TO Panes rnonuc'r's,

me, or LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK STORAGE-BATTERY TERMINAL eLAMr Application filed March 27, 1929. serial No. $0,142.

My invention relates to the manufacture of storage battery terminal clamps, and has as its principal objects the provision of a clamp of more uniform manufacture than the usual cast type, a saving of material and reduction in the cost of manufacture. The terminal clamp is made from sheet metal by a series of press operations; and the many advantages in the peculiar construction and the method of manufacture are clearly disclosed by the following description and drawings in which I have shown a preferred embodiment.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the blank punched from sheet metal for making the storage battery terminal clainp.

Fig. 2 is an edge view showing the first forming operation, wherein the split eyelet is drawn up and the first bend is made on the two projecting ends. The tools are shown diagrammatically.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 333 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an edge view showing the terminal in the final pressing operation wherein the split eyelet is formed tofit the tapered terminal and the ends are formed into the cable. receiving sleeve and the bolt lugs respectively.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the clamp mounted on the terminalwith bolt, nut and cable in place.

Fig. 6 is an edge view of the clamp as in Fig. 5. I

Fig. 7 is a plan view showing an alternate construction of the cable end adapted to receive a fiat conductor.

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7 j V Z The manufacture of the clamp is begun by stamping out the blank 11 shown in Fig. 1'

with a suitable die. The blank 11 comprises a substantially circular body portion 12 with diametrically opposed projections 13 and 1 1. The projection 13 is to be formed into the cable receiving sleeve in a subsequent operation. The projection 141 is split by blanking out the opening 15 which terminates at the center of the body 12. This forms the two projections 14 and 1 1 which in a later operation will become the bolt lugs.

Referring to Fig. 2, the blank as shown in Fig. 1 is placed in the die,- which comprises a die block 16 with a post 17 and two shoulders 18 and 19 rigidly mounted thereon. A punch holder 20 has rigidly mounted a hollow punch 21, and roundedged'punches 22 and 23. Die" block 16 has movably mounted thereon a spring impressedad 2 1, the spring 25 'of which is compressed when the rain of the press is down; This pad 24: has the double function of acting as an aid to drawing the metal up around the post and as a knockout when the pressu e is released by the upward movement of the press ram. In order to facilitate the location of the blank in the forming die a nest is formed by blocks 27 and 28 which are fastened on shoulders 18 and 19 respectively.

When the die described is closed on the blank a split eyelet with barrel 29 is formed in the center of the body, and the ends 13,

14 and 14; are bent upward to conform to i the rounded edge of the punches 22 and 23.

Referring to Fig. 4:, the clamp as shown formed in Fig. 2 is placed in a die, which comprises a die block 30 which conforms to the shape of the clamp at the turned up ends and supports the clamp throughout; and a punch holder in which are mounted three punches, a central punch 34 tapered to an exact reproduction of the battery terminal, and two curling punches and 36' so mounted as to turn the ends 13 and 14 I and 14 to form the cable receiving opening 31 and the clamping bolt openings 32 and 33 respectively. I

When the die described is closed on the clamp as formed in Fig. 2 the punches 35 and 36 curl the ends of the clamp to form the cable receiving opening and the bolt receiving opening,'while at the same time the punch 3 1 is spreading the split eyelet.

barrel 29 to conform to the taper of the 7 battery terminal.

The terminal clamp is now complete ex cept for clamping bolt 37 with head 38 and too 7 alternate form is shown in F ig; 7, wherein nut 39. whereupon the square head 38 engages a shoulder 40 to prevent rotation.

The threaded end of the bolt passes through the opening 33 and receives thereon the tensioning nut 39 which closes the barrel of the clampagainst'the terminal.

In order ,to use a flat cable conductor an the cable sleeve is replaced by the flatprojection 13 on which have been added the clips 41 and 42 which are adapted to be bent over the flat conductor to hold it in place as shown in the section Fig. 8.

Having described my invention what I .claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is The method of making a storage battery terminal clamp which consists in providing a sheet metal blank of substantially circular body form with two diametrically opposed projections therefrom, a central opening bifurcating one of the said projections and terminating at the center of the circular body, in drawing a split terminal clamping ring from the central body, in bending the endof one projection to form a conductor sleeve, in bending the end of a bifurcated projection to form clamping bolt and nut receiving lugs.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 21st day of March 1929.

JOHN GORDON SPABKES.

This bolt enters the opening 32' 

